Fear of 'what people will say' may harm the psyche - study

Important: this is not an officially recognised diagnosis, but a new psychological concept and a scale to measure it.

Details

The study was published in PsyCh Journal. The authors proposed the term atimiaphobia and developed the 15-item Atimiaphobia Scale, or AtiPhoS. It is supposed to measure fear of losing honour and reputation in four areas: fear of being called shameless, fear of violating social norms, fear of public disapproval and fear of losing self-respect or honour.

According to the researchers, athymiaphobia can manifest as intrusive thoughts, constant wariness, emotional tension and a desire to adjust to social norms so as not to invite judgement.

Researchers have also found that higher levels of athymiaphobia are associated with anxiety and a general experience of shame. In addition, a strong fear of judgement and 'loss of honour' was associated with lower social intelligence - that is, difficulty in understanding social cues, building relationships and behaving confidently in society.

Female and married participants, according to the study, reported higher levels of athymiaphobia. The authors attribute this to greater social pressure on these groups in cultures where honour, family reputation and conformity are particularly important.

Why it matters

The phrase "what people will say" sounds mundane to many people, but in some societies it can become a constant source of anxiety. A person begins not just to consider the opinions of others, but to live in fear of public judgement, shame or damage to the family's reputation.

This is important for mental health because such fear can increase anxiety, shame, inner tension and avoidance. A person may not make decisions based on their needs, but out of fear of violating family or societal expectations.

That said, the study does not mean that any concern for reputation is pathological. Reputation, respect and norms of behaviour are important in many cultures. The problem begins where the fear of losing honour becomes excessive, obsessive and interferes with a person's life.

Background

Cultures of honour and shame societies have long been studied in psychology and anthropology. In such systems, personal identity is often closely linked to family, moral reputation, women's and men's behaviour, marriage, sexuality and public opinion.

The new work suggests that the extreme fear of losing honour should be viewed as a distinct psychological construct. The lead author of the study, Baqar Husain of COMSATS University Islamabad, believes that the severity and characteristics of athymiaphobia deserve attention in a clinical diagnostic framework. However, this is still the position of the study authors and not an official status in international classifications of mental disorders.

Source

The study Atimiaphobia: The undiscovered burden of honour cultures and shame societies on mental health - development and validation of the Atimiaphobia Scale is published in PsyCh Journal in 2026.